Pedro Returns To Try And Earn His Pesos

Although the talk all preseason was about the infamous toe, what felled the Mighty Pedro in the end this season was an inflamed hip and some dirty Dominican chicken.



But now, after the Mets have held their own in his nearly month-long absence, with the Mets having held off the Braves in spite of a hard charge by those vainglorious rubes south of the border, Pedro is returning to resume his glory and put his definative stamp on the Mets final sprint to the finish.

Indeed, it is still only July and there is still much to be decided but a healthy and effective Pedro will do alot towards spelling a quick and painless end to any belated challenges from the Braves or anyone else in the nearly comotose NL East.

Pedro will taking the mound to face the resurgent Horacio Ramirez, who allowed only a single run in each of his past two starts. Exclusive of an embarassing outing against Cincinnati on July 7, when he allowed seven runs in one-plus inning of work, and Ramirez has allowed only six earned runs in his past 34 2/3 innings pitched.

Pedro has had two starts against Atlanta already this season, picking up two wins while allowing five runs and only 10 hits in 13 2/3 innings. In those same two outings he fanned 13 futile Braves.

The series itself will not be considered the virtual Armageddon it might normally be perceived as if for no other reason than the Mets' bulging 12 game lead over the Braves and the fact that in spite of a Braves post-All Star Game run, they haven't made up any ground on the Mets. Even a sweep by the Braves will only barely reduce the lead to single digits and the best they can hope for will be a psychological blow to the team they have so thoroughly dominated in the past.

The Mets are a different team with an entirely different psychological makeup, even without Pedro this season. They never feel completely out of a game, they are always prepared to rally to a late inning victory and they don't quit. They are confident of their talents and regardless of the past history with the Braves, the Mets aren't likely to lose much ground this weekend.

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